Nasse



(No Model.)

G. P. ESPINASSE.

COMBINED RAIL CHAIR AND SLEEPER.

Patented Jan. 22, 1889.

yl/VVE/VTOR: -61 @524 Mum ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

CFNEMON PAUL ESPINASSE, OF MONTAUBAN, FRANCE.

COMBINED RAIL-CHAIR AND SLEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 396,473, dated January 22, 1889.

Application filed November 6, 1888.

Serial No. 290,086. (No model).

which sleeper, while having none of the objectionable features common to its class, possesses all the advantages of a wooden sleeper, and to which and its chair the rails may be readily secured without employing bolts, spikes, &c.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the sleeper and rail-chair hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a sleeper constructed in accordance with my invention, with the rail and rail-chair in position thereon, the rail and its locking-key being shown in transverse section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same, showing another form of rail, the latter and the rail-chair and key being shown in transverse section. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of the sleeper, taken on the line .16 .r in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the sleeper on a reduced scale, the rail and its chair being removed; and Fig. 6 is atransverse section of the same, taken on a line corresponding with the line 3 y in Fig. 5.

The sleeper A, which is rolled, east, or otherwise produced from iron or steel, has at its extremities side flanges, a, which are bent downward at their edges to form feet or claws b and a reduced portion transversely intervening its flanged extremities. On the upper surface of said sleeper are formed a central longitudinal rib, d, longitudinal ribs f, parallel with the rib (7, and centrally of its flanged extremities pairs of transverse ribs 72, uniting the ribs fand crossing the rib d. The rib (1, about centrally between each pair of ribs 71- and the ribs f, is cut away to the plane of the sleeper to receive the body of the railchair e, as hereinafter explained, the faces of the opposing ends of said rib (1 corresponding the one with the side of the rail-chair and the other with the side of the rail and chair, said chair curving downwardly and outwardly at each side toward the base, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

In the space inclosed by the ribs f and h at the center of the flanged extremities of the sleeper is tightly inserted a packing-block, g, preferably of lead, but which may be of rubber, if desired, the upper surface of which block is ribbed or serrated, as shown in Fig.

The sleeper may be given additional strength in the vertical direction at its centralreduced portion by bending down its sides, as shown in Fi g. (I, or may be thus strengthened throughout its length, if found desirable, and maybe transversely strengthened by vertical braces 'L', as shown in Fig. 4.

The rail-ch air e has at each side a cen tral vertical slot, 6, to receive and embrace the opposing ends of the rib d, which fit snugly the one against one side of the chair and the other against the rail and the other side of the chair at its lower part. The under surface of the chair is ribbed or serrated to adapt it to fit upon the serrated face of the packing g to prevent the chair from sl ippin g under the pounding of trains upon the rail, and the upper face of said chair is shaped to receive the base of the rail 0, which may be of any approved form, and a wooden key, 70, intervening the chair and the rail, as shown in Figs. 1 and lVhen the rail-chair is in position the portions of the same at either side of the rib d bear at their ends against the ribs 7z,whieh prevents its longitudinal displacement. It may be prevented from loosening vertically by a pin, 1', passed transversely through the rib d at one side of the chair and over its divided portions thereat, as shown at the right hand in Fig. 2.

In operation, the sleeper being in place on the road-bed, the packing-block g is inserted between the ribs f 71, the chair 3 is placed thereon and tightly pressed between and upon said ribs and the rib. d, the rail is slipped into the chair, the key is forced in between the cessed and notched near its extremities, stantially as shown and described.

2. The coinbination,\vitl1 a n'ietallic railwaysleeper having on its upper surface a central. longitudinal rib, longitudinal side ribs parallel therewith, and pairs of transverse ribs intersecting' said central and side ribs, said cen tral rib being recessed and notched near its extremities, of a compressible packing-block having a serrated upper surface inclosed by said side and transverse ribs, a rail-chairhavin g a serrated bottom surface bearing on said packing-block and said central rib and between said side and transverse ribs, and means for locking the rail in said chair, substantially as shown and described.

The foregoing specification of my improve- 1n cuts in the permanent Way of railways signed 0 by me this 28th day of September, 1888.

OENEl\1[ON PAUL ESPINASSE.

\Vitnesses:

J. L. RATHBONE, ALBERT MoREAU. 

